


Anamathia

by Ruin_Cain



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27134509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruin_Cain/pseuds/Ruin_Cain
Summary: Our Captian and First Mate disappoint Ma
Comments: 11
Kudos: 6





	Anamathia

The city of Anamathia was located on the moon Ryga, which orbited the uninhabited planet of Savalto in the Nethua Quadrant. It was the largest city on the planet, however only accounted for a very small amount of the desart moon's total population. That might be made up with the fact that it housed a copy of every written word on this side of the Nara constellation. Every sentence in every language from any time, all housed within this city where only the smartest minds in this known Universe were allowed in. 

Well.

Most of the time. Once every orbet around their planet, which takes roughly 847 Earth years, they allow anyone to come and partake in the hoarded knowledge in this sort of New Alexandria. During the Festival of Guiria, it was not just allowed to enter into the walls of the city, but encouraged. Anamathia would be a light with music, food, dance, and activities from all over the Nethua Quadrant, creating an atmosphere as rich in culture as the texts and tomes the city housed. It would last for one Ryga day, or about a month for Earth. 

It just so happened that a particular crew of a ship full of butterflies and eyes were crusing on though the Nui System before deciding to hang a left and stop in for the last bit of the Festival. Particularly Cain and Professor Warren had requested to stop by.

It wasnt like Warren was going to pass up a chance to visit the Guiria Festival while the S.S. Kaleidoscope was practically right next door. And, once Cain had heard of the event, jumped right on board with the idea of stopping. Mainly for the reason that she had taken to reading while working below deck. It was nice to just prop a book open and keep one of her eyes on it while working. This, however, had lead to her quickly depleting her reading content in the ship's current library. 

After some badgering, Winters agreed to make a pit stop. The crew had just come down from a rather bad run in with the S.S. Eclipse and was still a little on edge. However, despite that, the idea of the Festival seemed like a good way to relive some of the tention that had built up from being on more guard than usual. And once the announcement had been made over dinner, the crew seemed excited to land. 

The Kaleidoscope was excepted and granted port in a station just outside of Anamathia. Ma did a quick head count of who was staying and who was going before letting a bulk of the crew go off into the city full to bursting with people from all over the known Universe and beyond. 

Quarter Master Elvis nodded as the crew split off into groups to explore before checking the satchels at her sides, making sure she had what she needed. Jeff curled around Ma's shins, vibrating in what was an almost purr, but honestly sounded more like the sound of some far of space creature that was too big to see. 

Captain Rysttle Winters leaned agaisnt the entrance to their ship. Elly hovered just beside the Captain, hands shoved as far into their ghost pockets as their ghost hands could go. The pair had decided to stick with the ship until some of the other crewmembers returned. Neither were particularly pleased with this, but Winters had made the choice with the hat on. Even if the hat was now MIA once more, the decision stood; let the crew have their fun first. Someone had to watch the ship.

Then she turned towards Winters and the First Mate. "I also need to run into the city and set up some supplies."

Elly snorted. "Supplies? Like what?"

"There are some people on the ship who actually need to eat, you know," Winters rolled their eyes. "And even more who just like to eat."

The ghost stuck their tounge out as Ma rolled her eyes. "And that isnt even encluding the fact we need more stuff for repair storage. That last fight we got into with the crew of the Eclipse was rather nasty. We are also out of soap and if we have to spend another week on that ship with a dirty crew-"

The Quarter Master broke herself off with a sigh. "Can I please leave you two here for a few hours and you not do anything too stupid?"

Rysttle made an offended lip smack as Elly made an equally offended noise. "Do you think so little of us, Ma?"

The Quarter Master looked unimpressed at her Captain. "Oh no. That has nothing to do with it. This is just me knowing how you two act."

Winters put their hands up a sort of 'fine fine'. "Fair enough. But it isnt like we have had anything too bad happen before."

Ma hummed in what could only be put as slight agreement before patting her thigh. Jeff stretched before jumping up onto Ma's shoulders, leaving a trail of void behind him. "Nonetheless. I should only be gone for a few hours at most. I just hope you are right."

"You say this everytime you need to do anything off ship."

"Well, it isnt like Elly has set the hull on fire multiple times-"

"It was twice! And you were there for both times!"

"Then imagine my worry everytime I am not there."

Elly huffed indignantly and Winters suppressed a poorly hidden grin. "We get it, Ma. Go start arranging for supplies. Once everyone comes back, we can get the crew's help with loading up the ship."

Ma chuckled before nodding and, with Jeff curled around her neck, set off into the city to find the supplies she thought they were in need of most. 

Elly turned their head to look out over the railing on which the S.S. Kaleidoscope had been able to make port. It was not a great parking spot by any means, but it could be worse. Well, it couldnt be *much* worse.

Anamathia was a city completely covered. Walled off in large circular patterns with a vast glass dome cealing to allow light from the three suns in. Inside was temperature controlled to protect ancient texts and to help keep the few who lived there in comfort, safe from the harsh climate of the moon. Walls made of sandstone that were made from the surrounding desert that covered the moon. There were some oases dotted across the natrual satellite's surface, according to the analysis of the planet that the Professor had managed to collect from the ship before they had landed, but none of them could be seen from the current vantage point of the Kaleidoscope. Just an endless sea of sand the color of burnt copper until it turned into a dusty sky. 

What seemed to be a sandstorm seemed to be brewing in the East. Elly could see the sand being picked up and starting to swirl from miles off. 

"We should probably head back inside," Ry said, having followed the ghost's gaze. "At least the rest of the crew will be safe inside the city."

Elly hummed noncommitily. "I sorta wanna stay out and see when the storm hits."

"Not all of us have that luxury," the Captain snorted before turning away and looking down the walk way of the landing platform. 

A sort of sub-city had been made around Anamathia. Traders, people who wanted access to the knowledge housed inside the covered city but were not allowed in casually, travellers and the like had built up taverns, hotels and homes outside the guarded entrance. Because of tbe need to constantly be building new sections to Anamathia, this outer city was constantly being torn doin and rebuilt elsewhere along the wall. Construction workers and architects had also made their homes here, finding that their work was never truely done. 

Captain Winters had seen worse slums during their time. 'Though', they supposed, 'it probably keeps it looking nice to have to keep rebuilding it.'

"Fine. But I want to get a drink if you plan on staying out in the storm."

"What about the bar on the ship?"

"We ran out of liquor last week. I made sure to make note of it on Ma's list."

Elly considered that before walking to where Ry had started toward before the Captain continued, "The map we got when we landed said there was a bar just beneath us. It should be a minutes walk down some stairs."

"That cant really be seen as walking away from the ship," Elly nodded for a moment. Yes going down below would obstruct their view of the oncoming storm, but if Winters wanted to get something to drink, then to the bar they went. "Well, you should be able to get something to drink before you gotta hunker down for a bit."

Ry gave a hum of conformation before checking their pockets for some of the currency of this system before heading down the walkway away from the Kaleidoscope. "Yeah. It's a shame I wont be out for more than five minutes. I was kinda lookin forward to having some fresh air. But we will be quick. Ma wont even know we left."

"Right!" Elly confirmed before falling into step beside the Captain. "In and out!"

At the end of the sort of catwalk that lead away from the landing platform it split off into a much long walkway that lead to the pads on either side of the Kaleidoscope. However, before that walkway, there was a set of stairs that lead down into the underbelly of Outer Anamathia. 

The two crewmembers took the stairs, chatting as they went. It wasnt about anything particular, their last haul or a new possible adventure they could go on, but nothing of any weight. Weighted conversations were held with the hat on. 

They made their way down the stairs and towards the tavern. The walk was just as short as the map had promised and a sign calling the place 'Millit's' was hung crookedly above the entry way of the bar that seemed to be made of scrap metal. It was a sketchy place, not just because of the seedy patrons that were still lingering outside of the establishment. It looked like it was bring held to the outer wall with ductape and pure will of the owner to keep it there. 

Elly leaned agaisnt the door as the Captain ducked inside to get what they wanted. A few of the other beings that were drinking outside had gathered around a decently sized crate where two of the beings were seeming to gamble. 

This had taken the ghost's attention and watched the game in mild intrest. It seemed to be fairly simple, something along the lines of what we understand as Russian Roulette, but with more stakes in this game. Out here, where everything went to the purist of knowledge and access to what Anamathia housed, if you didnt care for such academic projects your property was what you were worth. 

It seemed that two participants would bet all they had on not being the one to pull the trigger. If they were right, and the other player died, the winner would win all that the decreased had owned. It was simple enough and cleanly done with a sort of reloadable lazer revolver. 

Elly had watched three insect beings, that seemed to be of the same species as the crew's beloved Wee, and one more humanoid shaped being lose the bet. The laser managed to cauterize the wound so there wasnt much in the form of a mess afterwards. But there was still some initial spray and the ceiling and wall beside the makeshift table were covered in scorch marks and a rainbow of gore from diffrent beings. 

Ry joined Elly by the entrance as a sort of living cactus left behind some green splatter on the wall. "What are ya watching?"

"Mortals squandering their life worth away," Elly mused slightly before explaining what they had gathered about how the 'game' was played. 

"I could try it," the Captain suggested in amusement. "What are the chances of me getting shot the first time?"

"Like... one out of nine or something. But that isnt that great a chance. You should do it."

"Well, now that you said I should, I probably shouldn't," Winters said, taking a swing from their togo cup. 

"Well now I want you to try! It isnt like you will stay dead for long."

"Yeah. But then we lose all the shit on our ship."

"OR we get all of their shit."

Captain Winters took another sip of their drink. "Mm. Perhaps."

Elly looked at Ry as they considered it and knew what their Captain was going to say. How could they not pass up such an easy opportunity for loot?

Ry sighed, knowing the Elly already knew and chugged the rest of their drink before tossing the cup in a nearby trash heap and approached the table. The First Mate accompanied them to watch and Ry took a seat across form a sort of creature. 

Are you familiar with the human myth of eating watermelon seeds made a watermelon grow out of you? Well, that is what it looked like. Vines growing out of what must have been an orifice. 

The gun was loaded and the creature was able to spin it as much as they wanted before allowing Ry to do the same. It spun the revolver only once before allowing the immortal human to take a spin.

Captain Winters did not spin but turned the barrel of the laser up and shot immediately. 

A blank. 

Then it was passed back to the creature. Who was not so lucky and a spatter of green and red joined the gore mural. Elly cheered for their Captin but it couldnt be hear amongst the sound of the other people watching. Tokens were distributed to whom had won as proof of their ownership of things. 

Ry gathered five more owning tokens before their luck ran out. They had been allowed to spin and had spun the gun just one too many times. They didnt even get a second shot. 

The red hit the sealing and Elly watched in only mild disgust as a part of brain dropped down from where it had been plastered to the metal roof. Ry's body was dragged off to the side as the winner approached Elly. 

"I heard you call that being Captin. Is that correct?" This creature was covered in a thick black robe that shielded their face from the storm that had just begin to hit Anamathia. The sand that was now driving away the rest of the party did not bother Elly, as they had no real reason to breath or even be touched by the red sand 

"Yeah? What's it to you?"

"Well. I own their ship now, you see. I would like to see my new vessel."

If Elly could go any paler, they would have 

~

Ry came too some time later and was first aware of the sticky sensation that clung to the top of their head and the front of their neck. As well as the sand that now clogged up their nose and in their eyes. Ry managed to lift a hand to clean the dirt from their eyes and coughed the remaining sentiment out of their airways. They rolled over slightly to do this and their now clear nose was met with a familiar sickly sweet of rot and decay.

Winters groaned before forcing themselves to sit up and cracking open two still sand caked eyes. Elly was leaning agaisnt the metal wall with a sour expression. "You couldnt even bother to move me from the corpse pile? How rude."

"I figured you deserved it. Just a little bit," Elly said as Ry managed to struggle to their feet on shaky legs. A migraine that was cause from a laser ripping it's way through their skull was in full swing and they glared at the ghost.

"Why? It was your idea?"

"But you got cocky and now we lost it all."

"Well. It isnt like we had much on the ship anyway."

Elly rolled their eyes. "No, you idiot. ALL of it. Ship included."

The Ex-Captin stared at their Ex-First Mate for a moment as their body managed to stitch the part of the brain back together that allowed compression of such large events. 

"Oh fuck. Ma is going to kill us."

Elly nodded grimly. "I was afraid you were going to say that."


End file.
